Chapter 589: Boarding the Ship
Old Madam Bai didn’t say much; she simply patted the back of his hand. “We’ll discuss this properly when your sister and brother return. But before that, shouldn’t you two brothers get married first?” Moving past the previous topic, she turned the conversation to their marriages.
“Mother, what’s the rush? It’ll be the same if you arrange Eldest Brother’s wedding first,” Bai Jianbei replied. “After all, he is the Family Head of the Bai Family; it is high time he carried on the family line.” Having an older brother truly had its perks—he could always step up and shoulder everything.
“What nonsense are you spouting? You and your brother were born on the exact same day. If you could both get married on the same day, it would be a beautiful story for people to tell.”
Bai Jianbei hastily offered an apologetic smile. “Mother, there’s no need for that. Eldest Brother is the Clan Leader, so his wedding must be a grand affair. If I get married on the same day as him, wouldn’t I be taking advantage of him and stealing his thunder? Besides, I want to find a gentle and intelligent wife just like you, Mother. I can’t just settle.”
Old Madam Bai’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Your standards are a bit too high. Be careful, or you’ll end up a bachelor for the rest of your life.”
Bai Jianbei clutched his chest dramatically. “Mother, you really know how to strike a blow. How about I lower my standards a little?”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Then, at the very least, she has to be like my sister, right? Look at how smart she is. My brother-in-law owes much of his current success to her.”
Otherwise, given that bunch of leeches in the Gu Family, his brother-in-law would have been sucked dry, serving as a never-ending blood supply. Even though his sister and brother-in-law never mentioned these matters, Bai Jianbei had eyes. He could easily see who truly called the shots in the Gu Family. For his sister to produce so many secret recipes, she must have stumbled upon some fortunate encounters of her own, and as her family, they were naturally reaping the benefits too.
“With those standards, I’m afraid you really are going to stay a bachelor.” To a mother, her own children were naturally the best. Old Madam Bai was extremely satisfied with all her children, let alone her only legitimate daughter. Although her daughter used to be somewhat weak-willed, her transformation since the confiscation of their estate had genuinely surprised Old Madam Bai. It was completely true that people grew the fastest in adversity. As for any absurd notion that her daughter might have been replaced by someone else, she had never entertained such a thought. Those little mannerisms and familiar habits were things she knew by heart.
“It won’t come to that,” Bai Jianbei said with absolute confidence. “The world is vast; there will always be someone suitable. If all else fails, I’ll just pick a pretty one when the time comes, as long as I live comfortably.”
“Those are just twisted excuses.” Old Madam Bai shook her head. “Are you sure you won’t regret this? Don’t complain later that your wedding banquet doesn’t compare to your eldest brother’s.”
Since they were both her sons, Old Madam Bai naturally wanted to treat them with perfect impartiality. However, there had to be a distinction between the Family Head of the Bai Family and a second son. If both sons could hold their weddings on the same day, such issues would no longer exist.
“I mean what I say. Besides, I don’t like too much noise and fuss. Getting married is about living a good life together; no matter how lively the ceremony is, it’s ultimately just a show for others.”
At this, Old Madam Bai slapped the back of his hand sharply. “What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t ever say such ridiculous things again. A grand wedding gives face to your future wife. The livelier it is, the more it shows your sincerity. If word of your attitude gets out, let’s see which good family’s daughter would ever be willing to marry you!”
Bai Jianbei looked thoroughly wronged. “Mother, we’re just talking. Did you have to hit me so hard? I’m your favorite youngest son. You didn’t hit my eldest brother, and you didn’t hit my sister. Why are you only taking it out on me?”
Seeing her youngest son playing cute again, Old Madam Bai’s lips twitched slightly. She really had spoiled him too much. “Who asked you to be so thick-skinned? Besides, your brother and sister give me peace of mind. I can only choose the troublemaker to teach a lesson.”
Bai Jianbei fell speechless.
“Stop acting so aggrieved. Since you plan on staying here with your sister and the others in the future, you need to go talk to them about it. My words don’t count.”
Bai Jianbei naturally understood this principle, nor had he ever intended to ask his mother to speak on his behalf. “Rest assured, I already discussed this with my brother-in-law when we came back earlier, and he has no objections. Furthermore, he mentioned that he’ll be allocating some shares of the upcoming ships when the time comes. I figured that since I’m in a favorable position, I might as well secure a few shares first.”
“That sounds fine, but don’t ask for too many. Your brother-in-law might have other uses for them.”
“I know all that. Don’t worry, I won’t let my sister and the others take a loss.” He had long known that his mother favored his eldest sister, but thankfully, she liked to keep everything out in the open. Otherwise, a rift would have formed between the siblings ages ago.
Moreover, joining his brother-in-law out at sea this time had truly broadened his horizons. He knew that securing shares in the future would be a massive advantage. If it weren’t for his blood relation to his sister, such a golden opportunity would never have fallen into his lap. Even though the inheritance the Bai Family divided for him—along with what his mother had secretly slipped him—amounted to nearly a million, he was still young and wanted to carve out his own path. If he could build a business enterprise with his own two hands, he would have something to brag about to his future descendants.
Meanwhile, out on the ocean. Dressed in men’s clothing, Bai Suihe and Nanny Pang stood on the deck with Gu Xingyang in their arms, taking in the scenery. The weather was beautiful today, though the sun was scorching.
The ship’s sails snapped against the wind with a loud FLAP. Wind power served as the core driving force, supplemented by manual rowing. The rhythmic, hearty shouts of the oarsmen on both sides made the entire ship feel exceptionally lively.
Gu Xingyang watched the scene with pure novelty, marveling endlessly in her mind. “Mother, this isn’t like the ships we’ve seen before. No wonder you had to hire so many oarsmen.” She had previously wondered why they had prepared so many water barrels and yet still worried the drinking water wouldn’t be enough. It turned out it was because they had so many people on board.
“They work in shifts, so there are even more people than what you see right now,” Bai Suihe replied aloud, unable to help but sigh in admiration. The people of this era truly knew how to endure hardship.
“That really is amazing,” Gu Xingyang thought, unable to hold back a word of praise. “When I grow up, I’m going to be a sailor too and see how long I can last!”
Bai Suihe gently patted her back. With her and Gu Kaiyuan around, how could they ever let their daughter be reduced to such a state?
“When you grow up, if you’re still this curious, I’ll have your father get you a small boat to play with,” Bai Suihe said, carrying her back to the cabin. She laid her daughter directly on the bed, her mind wandering back to a pressing issue. They had stored a massive amount of water, but the weather was still quite hot. She feared that in just a few days, the water would turn murky, contaminated, and even emit a foul odor.
They wouldn’t be traveling far on this particular trip, but what about the future? A lack of clean water would lead to diseases, which was absolutely fatal for a sea voyage.
If she could create a simple filtration device, it would solve this predicament. She had learned the theory back when she was in school, though she had never actually built one with her own hands. That was fine, though; she could start small. Of course, if they could discover an island with freshwater resources in the coming days, all these problems would be readily solved.
Locking herself in the cabin, she busied herself with sketching and writing. Whenever she felt tired, she would step outside to admire the ocean scenery and enjoy the sea breeze.